OCEAN CITY — The Red Raider boys swim team, after making the South Jersey Group B finals last year, has started off the 2025-26 campaign with a 3-2 record.
It includes a pair of lopsided wins over Atlantic City (124-46) and Absegami (114-55) and two decisive losses to Egg Harbor Township (101-69) and Mainland Regional (102-68).
Mainland ended the Ocean City High School team’s season last year in the South Jersey finals, 97-73, after the Red Raiders earned the top seed in the sectional.
Assisting head coach Shane McGrath’s staff this year are returning coach Bryan Chojnacki and volunteer coach Pat Armstrong, a former standout swimmer for the Red Raiders.
“We’re blessed with our coaching staff. We have a lot of knowledge, a lot of support at the top,” McGrath said, pointing out Chojnacki and Armstrong. The latter, he noted, has many records up on the board at the Ocean City Aquatic and Fitness Center.
The coach said he has a big group of seniors, including veterans from last season who compiled a 10-3 record.
“The guys have been around, so they know what it entails to get to the South Jersey meet,” he said. “We’re working hard.
“We’re just excited to get faster every meet, to battle no matter who we’re racing and just put our best foot forward in every opportunity we get,” McGrath said.
Talking about some of his top swimmers, the coach named Jack Scherbin, the team’s top sprint, and Wilson Stauffer in the individual medley and who can basically swim any event. He also pointed to Mihail Mosendz, Arthur Flukey and Jason Chojnacki, “all solid guys.”
In the meet against Mainland on Dec. 16, Stauffer won the 200-meter individual medley and the 100 butterfly. He teamed up with Ryan Southard, Anthony Buonadonna and Colin Schweim to win the 200 freestyle relay.
“Across the board, we’re pretty solid, and I think we can put up a good fight. We’re excited to see where this team can go this year.”
McGrath said the team’s goal is always to make it to the South Jerseys and the team has improved its standing.
“I think my first five, six years, were always like a four- or five-seed and the next goal was to be a two- or three-seed,” he said. “And then once we got to the South Jersey final, we want to get there every year.” Additional goals are for his swimmers to compete at the Meet of Champions “and to buy in and try to really improve and get better.”
On Friday, the Red Raiders traveled to Southern Regional High School and beat the Rams 106-64 to improve to 3-2.
Now on winter break from meets, they’ll open 2026 on Jan. 7 hosting St. Augustine Prep, now ranked as the No. 2 team in the state. The Red Raiders will follow that at home Jan. 9 against Lenape and then travel to Oakcrest on Jan. 12. They return home for two meets, Middle Township on Jan. 16 and Clearview Regional on Jan. 22.
– STORY and PHOTOS by DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
